Chorizo Stuffed Jalapeños with Creamy Cashew Cheese

If you know anything about my food preferences, you know I love ANYTHING that’s spicy. So does Gavin. So when he asked me to make something that involved jalapeños and chorizo, I was on it. Like, that day on it.

I went in completely blind when I started making this, I honestly had no ideas. I just started cooking up my chorizo and then I had a lightbulb go off when I had the thought that something creamy would pair perfectly with this! So I whipped up a little creamy cashew “cheese” to top it with.

I have been putting it on literally EVERYTHING. This might sound weird but it’s delish on my lettuce wrap tacos with avocado and franks, trust me you NEED to try it. I just randomly made up that strange combination one day with leftovers from my fridge. I found out it was quite divine…I love when that happens 🙂 But the best part: It is such an easy and convient leftover to have in the fridge to throw together real quick!

Okay, now that I got you all off topic, back to the Jalapeños! These are a pretty bomb appetizer and they’re perfect for get togethers and game days. I’m not gonna lie, I cut my photoshoot with these short because I couldn’t wait any longer to eat them ALL up. Bring these bad boys to your upcoming Super Bowl party and it will surely impress EVERYBODY, not just the health foodies ;).

Chorizo Stuffed Jalapeños with Creamy Cashew “Cheese”

Note: These are best served right out of the oven! If taking somewhere, I recommend doing everything at home up until step 6. Top with almond flour and fill peppers with chorizo and pop ’em in your friends/families oven when you arrive to finish them up!

Ingredients for the jalapeños:

12 jalapeños, cut in half length wise and deseeded (I do this with a spoon, but leave a seed or two in for a little extra heat)

1 TSP. melted coconut or avocado oil

1/2 lb ground Chorizo (I picked mine up at my local butcher shop)

2 TBS. almond flour

ingredients for the cashew “cheese”:

3/4 C. cashews

1/4 C + 2 TBS. water

1 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS light tasting oil (like a mild olive oil or refined coconut or avocado oil – refined oils have little to no taste, if you use unrefined in this recipe, you’re most likely going to taste it)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 small garlic clove, or half of a regular sized, minced

Instructions:

Heat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Coat peppers in oil

Place peppers on baking sheet, hollowed out side facing up

Cook for 15 minutes

While peppers are cooking, cook Chorizo in a skillet on the stovetop top on medium heat, until no pink is left

At the 15 minute mark, pull the peppers out of the oven. Using a wooden spoon, place enough chorizo in each pepper to fill it (don’t over fill them though, as they will fall over while cooking and the filling will spill out!)

Sprinkle a little almond flour on top of the chorizo on each stuffed pepper

Place back in the oven for about 10 more minutes, until the peppers look nice and charred.

Remove from oven, top with a dollop of cashew “cheese” and enjoy right away!

To make the cashew “cheese”

While the peppers are cooking, place all ingredients for the “cheese” into a high speed blender or food processor, I used my Vitamix

Turn blender on and let run until everything is well mixed and there are no more chunks of cashews remaining

using a long, skinny, spatula, remove the “cheese” from blender, or food processor, the texture will be similar to a nut butter.